Shoe stretcher



I. FANTINO SHOE STRETCHER Dec. 9, 1930 Filed Feb. 2. 1929 ATTORNEYPatented Dec. 9, 1930 uNrrEo STATES PATENT. OFFICE ITALO FANTINO, OF NEWYORK, N. Y.

SHOE STRETGHEB Application filed February 2, 1929. SeriaI No. 337,095.

to relieve the pressure of the shoe on the part of the foot immediatelybeneath it.

Another object is to provide such a device adapted to stretch alongitudinal portion of either the right or leftshoe while permittingeasy access to the operating portion of the device from the upperopening of the shoe.

A further object is to provide the device with replaceable means adaptedto affect either the elongated area covering a bunion or a substantiallycircular area covering a corn.

Finally, an object is to provide such a method and means which is simplein operation, has a minimum number of parts, can be manufacturedeconomically from suitable castings, and is yet attractive and salablein appearance.

All these and other objects as suggested below are attained by themethods and means now to be described, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view, partlyin phantom, of one preferred embodiment of the device in operativeposition in a shoe to show its method of use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the completelyassembled stretcher.

Fig. 3 is a detailed fragmentary view of the looped end portion of thestretcher, showing how it can be reversed in its socket to extend in anopposite longitudinal direction when used on an opposite shoe.

Fig. 4 is a detail of the knob-like end portion of the device adaptedfor use with a bunion or other horizontally positioned foot ailment andshowing the method of altering its position to conform to the alteredposition of its complementary looplike portion as disclosed in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a circular loop-like end portion adapted to be substituted forthe oblong looplike end portion shown in Fig. 1 when the device is to beused to relieve pressure on a corn for instance, which is usually nearlycircular in outline.

And Fig. 6 is a replaceable knob-like portion, for use with Fig. 5,adapted to replace the oblong shaped knob-like portion illustrated inthe previous views.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The method usually employed in shoe stores and elsewhere. for relievingor stretching a shoe to relieve the pressure on a corn or bunion orother localized area is by means of a device which stretches aconsiderable portion of the surrounding area of the shoe as well.Applicant has devised a simple means "for quickly and easily stretchingonly the exact area needed to relieve the pressure at that point. Themethod and means used is shown clearly in Fig. 1, where the device is inposition on a right shoe 10 for relieving the pressure on a bunion.

The device consists essentially of a metallic (or like) arm 11 pivotedat 12 to the rightangle projecting end 13 of a companion arm 14: whichmay also be made of metal, wood, or other suitable material. I,

The outer end of arm ll, Fig. is recessed to receive a loop-shaped endportion 15 in either of two positions turned 180 degrees from eachother. Member 15 is replaceably secured to arm 11 by means of stud bolt16 extending through both members and a pin 17 extending across therecess of member 11 and engaging an open slot in the end of member 15.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 the arm 11 instead of terminating in aclosed recess is arch-shaped in cross section to accomplish the samepurpose while yet simplifying manufacture.

Detachably secured to the outer end of member 14: is an oblong shapedknob-like member 18 pivotally held to the flattened end of member 14 bymeans of bolt 19 with its nut 20.

Knob 18 has awasher 21 with an upwardly projecting lip 22 integrallysecured to its fiat surface as shown; and there is a recessed arc- 7like portion in the outer flattened end 'ofmemher 14 as shown in Fig. 4,against the ends of 1 which u 22 is adapted to engage to limit themovementof member 18 to two extreme posil'i-tions, as shown solid anddotted lines in Fig. 4,to accord with similar positions of the companionloop member 1 5 when in either of its tworeversed posit1ons, as m Fig.3. Nut

120' is screwed down'tightenoughto permit .meinber18to assume. eitherposition desired by being pivoted around bolt 19,.andsheldin the desiredposition by friction.

Pivotally secured to member 14 at 24;,Fig.

'2, at approximately one'third the lengthof member 14 from its pivotedend, is a threaded locking member 24 equipped with a wing nut 25 adaptedby being screwed down to bring the outer loopendof member 15 around theouter knobike end 18 of member "14. Threaded member 2 1 is looselypivoted at 23 and extends through an over-sized hole in member 11 toprevent binding at any angular position between the two arm members 11and 14. r

The construction previouslydescribed for. use primarily in relievingpressure on bunions. To adapt thedevice for use with corns, it is butnecessary to substitute the knob-like circular member 25,.Fig; 6,, forthe oblong shaped member 18,, and to' just fit around knob 25, for theoblong shaped loop member 15, by the removal and replacement of boltil6.Likewise, any desired-combination of shapes or companion parts may besubstituted to adaptthe device to all needs.

In the operating-of the device it is but .nec-' essary to unscrew wingnut 25 sufiiciently to completely separate knob 18 from loop15 and thenintroduce the device into the shoe in the manner shown in Fig. lwithmember 15 preferably onthe outside of the shoe overthe portion desired.to be stretched. Wing nut 25 is then screwed down,'bringing knob 18 within loop.15, with theleather or other material of the shoe in between,there being only sufiicient distancebetween the outer surface of shoerequiring stretching.

the knob and the loop to accommodate it.

then stretch the leather into the convex shape of'knob 18 and so relievethepressure of the shoe at this point. The device is similarly used withany other knob and loop, shaped as suggested for instance in Figs. 5 and6. By

reversing the positionof member 1 5lin arm 11 and pivoting knob 18 toconform thereto,

the device is adapted for use in the sameposition on the other side ofthe same shoe or the same side of the opposite shoe. It will be apparentthat many allied uses and difierent combinations of the 551111616601this device ant, and it'will also'be obvious to such skilled personsthatparts of the device and method maybe used without other partsthereof, many such combinations readily suggesting themselves.Therefore, it should be, and is to be'distinctfy understood that for adefinition of the limitations of the invention, reference must be'had tothe appended claims.

Having-nowdescribed the invention'wha-t is claimed as new and for whichLetters Patent of'the United States is desired, is:

1. Adevice for stretching shoes including an oval-'sh'apedloop memberpositioned diag;

onally on a shank and a. knob-like member of like contour adapted to bemoved into the loopinember to stretch the material ofthe shoepositioned.therebetween.

- 2. In a shoe stretcher, an arni,,a'detachablev member fittedto one endthereof and terminating in an angularlydisposed oblong {To those skilledin the art, many modifica tions of the inventionwill be readily appa-r-I I loop, a second arm pivotedgto, the first arm and having. itsopposite .end, pivotally sup portinga knob-like member adaptedjto' fitwith'm the, loop of its companion member whenthe two arms are broughttogethen'the of January, 1929. i ITALO 'FANTINO.

Continued turning of the Wing nut 25 will I can be obtained fordifi'erent portions of the It is to be understood that'the presentdisclosureis forthepurposeof illustration only, and that the inventionisnot limited thereto.

